We are EMS Educators

What happens when EMS simulation stops being a checklist and starts feeling like a real call?

In this episode of We Are EMS Educators, Dan Limmer and Chuck Allias sit down with Chris Kroboth and Todd Vreeland for an inside look at the EMS World Clinical Challenge. They explore how realistic scenarios put BLS and ALS providers to the test with real equipment, real-time decision-making, live role players, environmental distractions, and one simple expectation: don’t just say what you would do. Do it.

But the Clinical Challenge is about much more than competition. The group discusses what these scenarios reveal about communication, clinical priorities, time on task, and the difference between knowing a protocol and caring for a patient. They also share practical ideas educators can take back to their classrooms without an expensive simulation lab.

Whether you’re competing, teaching, or simply want to sharpen your clinical thinking, this episode may change the way you think about simulation.

What does it really mean to save a life? In this episode of We Are EMS Educators, Dan Limmer and Chuck Allias talk with Brad and Kiera Newbury about their new book, The Saved Effect. Through powerful stories from survivors, families, and EMS providers, they explore the lasting impact of a single call, why those moments matter, and how they shape our purpose as educators and clinicians. The conversation also covers bystander CPR, the emotional side of EMS, mental health, and ways educators can help students prepare for both the successes and the losses they'll face in the field.

What does it really take to prepare EMS students for success on the National Registry exam and in the field? In this episode of the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians focused We Are EMS Educators podcast, Dan Limmer, Chuck Elias, and Todd Vreeland sit down with Terrie Goode Education Stakeholder Relations Program Manager at the National Registry, for a candid conversation about modern EMS education, exam readiness, and clinical judgment.

Terrie shares insights from decades in EMS as a provider, instructor, state education leader, and now national educator advocate. The discussion covers the biggest challenges facing EMS students today, including study habits, confidence, time management, technology-enhanced exam items, and the growing importance of clinical reasoning over memorization.

You’ll also hear practical strategies educators can use immediately:

• Building stronger study habits and retention techniques
• Preparing students for technology-enhanced and clinical judgment questions
• Teaching beyond memorization toward patient-centered decision-making
• Supporting students through stress, burnout, and real-world barriers
• Understanding recent National Registry exam and website changes

Whether you teach EMTs, paramedics, or are preparing students for certification, this episode offers a clear look at where EMS education is headed and how educators can better prepare the next generation of clinicians

David Page breaks down how EMS Corps is reshaping EMS education—opening doors for underserved students, rethinking how we teach, and building a workforce that truly reflects the communities we serve.

Build NREMT-style items that work. Dan Limmer and Chuck Allias sit down again with Todd Vreeland—former NREMT exam coordinator and Philly Fire medic—to turn blueprinting into crisp, Registry-style questions. They break down stems, keyed answers, and the art of writing plausible (not random) distractors; show how to keep choices equal in length and tense; and strip out “dark and stormy night” fluff so the stem follows the flow of a call. You’ll hear when negatives are fair game, how to fold repeated verbs into the stem, order numeric lists, and mine students' fill-ins for real-world distractors. They touch on timing (why MC items read in ~half a minute), updating items as guidelines evolve, and what’s different about clinical judgment/TEI items. Finish with a simple style sheet and a team review process that removes clues, raises difficulty correctly, and produces fair, focused items that separate knowing from guessing.

Stop guessing, start blueprinting. Dan Limmer and Chuck Allias sit down with Todd Vreeland, former NREMT exam coordinator and Philly Fire medic, to show how real Registry-style items get made. Learn what to test, how to map to the Education Standards and Scope of Practice, and why publisher banks miss the mark. Walk away with a simple plan to build fair, focused exams that improve pass rates. Part 2 tackles stems, distractors, and polish.

In this episode of We Are EMS Educators, Dan Limmer talks with Dr. Mike Miller, Assistant Director of the Committee on Accreditation of EMS Programs, about what it takes to help more students succeed in EMS education.

They explore the reasons students leave programs, what educators can do to reduce attrition, and how simple changes—like better support, connection, and teaching strategies—can make a lasting difference. They also discuss the role of accreditation, the importance of mentoring, and why supporting educators themselves is key to strong programs.

Recorded live at Accreditcon, this episode offers a clear look at practical ways to improve EMS education, from both sides of the classroom.

How can EMS educators better support neurodiverse students in the classroom? In this episode of We Are EMS Educators, hosts Dan Limmer and Chuck Elias sit down with Sarah Moore Gruver, a seasoned EMS educator with personal and professional experience in neurodiversity. They explore the impact of autism, ADHD, and learning differences on EMS training and share practical strategies to create a more inclusive, effective learning environment. Whether you're an instructor, program director, or EMS professional, this episode is packed with insights to help every student succeed.

Big changes are coming to the National Registry BLS Exam, and in this special episode of We Are EMS Educators, host Chuck Allias sits down with co-host and EMS education expert Dan Limmer to break it all down.

In this episode we discuss

• Key exam changes taking effect April 7th – What educators need to know
• Assessment-focused testing – Why thinking and decision-making matter more than memorization
• Technology-Enhanced Items (TEIs) are no longer going to be pilot items. Know what to expect.
• Scenario-based learning – Practical classroom strategies to better prepare students for the assessment focus of the new exam
• Debunking the fear – Why this change is not a reason to panic

Dan shares insights from his conversations with the National Registry and provides practical tips for educators to adapt their teaching methods. This episode is packed with real-world strategies to help students succeed on the new exam—and in the field.

Using the preceptor/student relationship as a foundation, NAEMT’s Paramedic of the Year and Los Angeles County Fire Paramedic Ricky Battle shares some of his strategies for survival on clinical shifts and beyond. This concept of “getting along” applies to both students and preceptors. How do we deal with personalities, organizations, and the things our personal lives throw at us—while just trying to get along? Ricky Battle has some personal and insightful answers for us.

Ricky Battle is a member of the County of Los Angeles Fire Department(LACoFD), a paramedic in Hawthorne, California, who was named the 2023 NAEMT/Velico Paramedic of the Year. This award recognizes the emergency medical technician who provides exceptional patient care.